ATTENTION TO OUR THOUGHTS, WORDS, AND ACTIONS, is necessary, in Order to our Acquisition of that perfect Knowledge of ourselves, at which we ought all to aim. By a proper Attention to our Tempers, Qualifications and Capacities, we may learn what Station in Society we are fit or unfit for, and so place ourselves, as to act our Parts with Propriety and Dignity; or at least, save ourselves from Mortification and Disgrace. And this Attention is necessary, not only to obtain a thorough Acquaintance with ourselves, but to enable us to support a proper Consistency of Character. Attention to our Thoughts is a Matter of the first Consequence; and if we find they at any Time run upon Objects which Virtue or Religion forbids, it is our Duty immediately to reject them from our Minds, for we shall otherwise contract Habits not only of thinking, but of speaking and acting, which will require our utmost Exertions to conquer, if indeed we do ever effectually subdue them. We are directed to keep our Hearts with all Diligence, for this Reathat out of them are the Issues of Life. It is of the first Consequence that we habituate ourselves to act upon Principle. We should calmly consider what Course is right, what is prudent, what is expedient, for every Action that can be properly so denominated, must be agreeable to Him, by whom all our Actions are weighed.

son,

VIGILANCE,

Want of

INATTENTION, THOUGHTLESSNESS. Attention is perhaps the Point of all others, in which the greater Part of the World are apt to fail. Most Men live very much at Random. The present Moment, or the present Object, engrosses all their Cares. They are engaged in one Pursuit after another, as Accident, rather than any regular Plan of Conduct, happens to lead; and when this is the Case, the State of their Minds is neglected. They are ignorant of themselves, of their Capacities, of their Dispositions, and perhaps of the Character they bear among their Acquaintance. They seldom reflect that the present Life is the Infancy of their Existence, or that it is a probationary State, preparatory to another of Retribution and endless Duration, and that Virtue is that Law of God, under which we are placed, and that in all Things, it is our Duty and Business and Happiness to conform ourselves to it. And where no Attention is paid to these essential Considerations, it is not to be expected that there should be any Improvement in Morals. Attention to Objects in proportion to their Importance, is a maxim in Morals we should never lose sight of.

LIVING

VIGILANCE, CIRCUMSPECTION, are necessary, as well as Attention, in order to our attaining a thorough Knowledge of ourselves. By this Vigilance, we become acquainted with our weak Side, and where to place our strongest Guard against the Assaults of Vice and Folly. We hereby discover our first Approach towards bad Habits, and may then easily repel them. We should, then, strenuously resist the indulging ourselves in our first Inclinations to commit a vicious Action, and if we succeed in resisting the first Temptation, and continue our Vigilance, every succeeding one will be more and more easily repulsed, and our Habits of Resistance will grow stronger by every successful Effort; for Acts, frequently repeated, beget Habits, and Habits form the Character.

Vigilance will also make us attentive to smaller Faults and Errors in Conduct, and most certainly they ought to be attended to; for, if we habitually allow ourselves to transgress in smaller Matters, we shall, most probably, grow more and more remiss in our Behaviour, and by Degrees be in Danger of indulging ourselves in grosser Enormities.

SELF-EXAMINATION is a Duty of the utmost Importance, as without it we can never arrive at a perfect Knowledge of ourselves, and ought to be practised by all, as we are social, but especially as we are moral and accountable Beings. And our Examination

LIVING CARELESSLY, or without Regard to our Character or Conduct. The Mind of Man, when not attended to, like a neglected Garden, is soon overrun with Weeds, which choke the good Seed, and prevent the Production of any Thing useful or ornamental; and Vice and Folly, for Want of Vigilance and Circumspection, overrun every Thing amiable or useful in the human Character. How many of our Species are lost to the World, and become Cumberers of the Ground, who by a little Care and proper Cultivation, might have become useful in Society, and flourished in the Garden of God, as "plants of Renown"! The Habits of Vice take such deep Root that no Exertions we can make are sufficient to extirpate them. It is a most important Maxim in Morals-Guard against the first false Step ;* lest by being initiated in the Paths of Vice, we terminate our Career in Infamy and Ruin.

NO CALLING OURSELVES TO ACCOUNT. As out of the Heart are the Issues of Life, it certainly becomes us to search it, and examine what our Thoughts are most commonly and naturally employed about, and what are our natural Bias and constitutional Inclinations, for this is the only Way in which we can arrive at the Knowledge of ourselves

* Obsta Principiis.

Examination ought to extend to our Conduct with Respect to our Maker, our Neighbour, and ourselves. And that it may be effectual, it should be frequently or daily repeated; it should be close and thorough; it should extend to the inmost Thoughts of our Hearts, as well as to our Words and Actions. And if this Course be honestly and steadily followed by any one, he will become thoroughly acquainted with the State of his Heart, and will, if he is seriously resolved to pursue a Course of Virtue, be enabled to accomplish his Resolution. But we are so apt to think well of ourselves, and so willing and so liable to deceive ourselves, that it requires great Care, and much Integrity and Fairness of Mind, to perform this Duty in the most perfect Manner. An Attention to any Reports which we may hear of, that are circulated to our Disadvantage, especially when they come from our Enemies, or those who are not disposed to favour us, will assist us much in this important Pursuit; for some Fault or wrong Behaviour may have escaped our Notice, either from Inattention or Self-partiality, which our Acquaintance, or our more eagle eyed Enemy may have discovered.

SOCIABILITY. Man is formed by his Maker a social Being, intended to live with his Species in a State of Society, and for this Purpose is endowed with a variety of Qualities, Dispositions and Capabilities, which would be utterly useless to him in a

solitary